'Loyal' Parker praised for staying at West Ham - so the £80k a week he was offered had nothing to do with it then?

Gianfranco Zola has praised Scott Parker for staying at West Ham despite interest in the last transfer window from Manchester City.

The manager insists: 'It was not a matter of money and that it means he is doing a good job.'

Now Zola does seem to be doing well at Upton Park - something this column didn't expect at all - but he is wrong to dress up Parker's continuing presence as loyalty.

Scroll down for more

West Ham through and through: The well-paid Scott Parker

The midfielder didn't have a 'choice' about leaving as the Italian implies. He was under contract and the decision on whether or not to sell lay with West Ham.

In fact, Parker's already lucrative deal had another three and a half years to run so he was in no great bargaining position and yet he was offered and signed a new and improved contract 'committing' him to stay until 2013.